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Phelps attacked Paul Browning in the parking garage at the hospital when Browning was there to visit his sick wife. Browning was knocked to the ground and left bloody and bruised by the attack.

In court, the attorney for Craig Phelps said he was a heroin addict who was attempting to get money, and had no intention of injuring Browning so severely.

Browning’s son, Jim Browning Sr. sees the attack as part of a trend of criminals going after older victims.

“I feel bad, because it seems like the senior citizens in this community are being picked on, as targets for people and I think it’s got to stop at some point,” he said.

Paul Browning, who is now 87 years old, stood before Judge Nadine Allen to speak out before Phelps was sentenced. He recounted the attack, and asked for justice to be served.

Allen sentenced Phelps to prison for the attack and for violating his probation on an earlier drug case. Seth Tieger with the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s office asked for a stiffer sentence.

“He acts tough in photos and in his public appearance, but in reality he’s hanging around hospital parking lots looking for 86-year-old men to jump and beat up,” Tieger said.

His son called Browning a “tough old bird,” and the WWII vet described the attack seemed to confirm that description.

“He tried to get my wallet, but he didn’t get it,” Browning said, “I held onto it.”

Browning said he wasn’t worried about the money in his wallet – because he was only carrying $11 – he wanted to keep hold of his credit cards.

“I didn’t want him getting that and buying dope with it,” Browning said.

Browning continues his recovery from his injuries. He said he still can’t fully bend one of his fingers, and he has surgery planned for next month to try to get more of the function back in his leg, which was injured in the attack.